


Back to Hogwarts

by ohmyrowling



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-18 13:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4707023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmyrowling/pseuds/ohmyrowling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James Sirius went to Hogwarts today.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back to Hogwarts

He's antsy. Like, more so than usual. His legs are bouncing and his fingers tap against the window of the car and he can taste blood from where he's been chewing on his lip.

"Jemmy, stop it," Lily says, elbowing him in the side.

James stops for about five seconds before his legs are bouncing and his fingers are tapping again. He gives his lip a rest and starts to bite his fingernails instead. Lily sighs but he doesn't pay her any attention.

When they pull into the lot at the station, James gets out of the car and bounces on the balls of his feet. It's really happening. By the end of the day he'll be at Hogwarts. Dad runs across the street for a cart and together they pile James' things onto it.

"Come on, sweetheart," Mum says, putting her arm around his shoulders. Normally he would shrug her off but she's been going on and on about her 'baby boy going to Hogwarts, isn't it crazy how time flies.'

King's Cross Station is bustling with people and James feels like his stomach is full of pixies. When they make it to the barrier to 9 3/4, Mum gives his shoulders a squeeze and grabs the handles of the cart.

"Come on, we'll go together, yeah?"

James nods and grins as they run toward the brick wall. The platform on the other side is even more crowded than King's Cross itself and James' owl Bob starts hooting in his cage. A black and white cat darts out in front of them and runs into the arms of a blonde girl with pigtails.

"Mum, there's aunt Fleur up there!" Lily says running up beside them. James looks where she's pointing and sees Louis being smothered by his mother while Dominique and Victoire stand by, laughing with Teddy.

The Potters make their way through the crowd and Lily practically throws herself at Teddy when they reach the group. Teddy is ready for her though, and he lifts her into his arms and spins her around once.

“Let me see your badge again, Teddy,” she says gleefully.

Teddy pulls his shiny Head Boy badge from his pocket and Lily holds it reverently in her hands. Louis looks over his mum's shoulder at James with wide eyes, silently pleading 'help me.' James' snickers are cut off when his mum does the exact same thing.

"Mum!" he yells as he's pulled up against her.

"My baby's all grown up," she says thickly. James can hear the tears in her voice and his own eyes go wide, but for a completely different reason. Mum doesn't cry very often so it takes him a little by surprise.

"Aww geez, Mum. I'll be fine. Teddy will look after me," he stutters, trying for comforting but missing it by like, a mile.

Mum gives a watery chuckle and takes his face in her hands. "You'll be more than fine. You'll be great."

Ginny finally relinquishes her hold on him and they both laugh.

Al gives him a one-armed hug and mutters an 'I'll miss you' before Lily launches herself at him.

"You're so lucky, Jemmy," she says wistfully. James chuckles and pats her head.

"Hey, I'll send you a toilet seat when I get there!"

"Oi! That's my line you little thief."

Uncle George thumps James on the back of the head and James grins up at him. Lily allows Dad to lift her into his arms and James bumps Fred's fist with his own.

The two of them and Louis follow Teddy and the girls onto the train and stash their trunks in an empty compartment. When they get off the train to say goodbye, it's like a Weasley family reunion. Uncle Percy is there with Molly, both looking frazzled, and Uncle Bill has finally arrived and is pulling Victoire into a hug.

"Poor McGonagall is gonna have her hands full with you three isn't she?" Mum asks ruffling James' hair. She's stopped crying, thank Merlin, but her eyes look glassy and James really hopes she doesn't start again.

"Aww, she loves us," Fred says with a grin.

The whistle blows and James' stomach lurches. He takes in his smiling family and suddenly three months seems like a lifetime.

Maybe sensing his unease, Dad pulls him into a hug and says "It'll fly by."

James pulls back and asks, "How'd you know what I was thinking?"

Dad chuckles and ruffles James' hair. "I'm a mind reader obviously. Seriously though, expect lots of letters from your brother and sister. And I imagine you lot will have a package from your gran within the week."

"And don't you dare be a stranger. We want to hear how you're doing," Mum says smoothing his hair back into place.

"Yeah, yeah."

"And write to us after the sorting, yeah? I want to know if I need to buy a Ravenclaw or Slytherin shirt," Dad says with a grin.

James wrinkles his nose and shakes his head. "Yeah right, Dad. I already know I'm gonna be in Gryffindor. Just like you and Mum. And everyone else in this bloody family.

Ginny purses her lips but James can see she's trying not to smile. "Watch your language, young man."

"Well in that case, I'm sure Neville will be happy to have you."

James grins and the whistle blows again.

"Alright. Time to go. Have fun, sweetheart," Ginny says with one last kiss on his forehead.

He follows Fred and Louis back to their compartment and leans out the window to wave to the gaggle of redheads standing on the station. As the train starts moving, Lily runs along with the train yelling, "Don't forget my toilet seat!" The people on the platform look mildly scandalized but James just laughs. The three of them settle in and Louis says, "Can you guys believe we're actually going?"

When James sits on the stool at the front of the Great Hall that evening, the Sorting hat barely touches his head before it shouts, "Gryffindor!" The hall erupts into cheers and James can hear Teddy booing from the Hufflepuff table. James sticks his tongue out from across the room and Teddy grins.

When he gets to his dormitory, James contemplates going straight to bed. But then he remembers his promise to his parents and pulls out a roll of parchment and a quill.

_Dear Mum and Dad (and Al and Lily),_


End file.
